Chael Sonnen wasn’t happy with Bo Nickal’s showing at UFC 309 and believes his team is primarily responsible for his slow-paced victory.
Most of the viewing audience didn’t positively receive Bo Nickal‘s unanimous decision win over Paul Craig at UFC 309. As the official decision was read in the Octagon, the crowd blanketed Nickal with boos after another perplexing performance.
Despite moving to 7-0 in his MMA career, the former collegiate wrestling superstar Nickal is the target of many critics after UFC 309. He opted to take a striking-first approach against the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace Craig, resulting in a less entertaining bout than most expected.
Nickal is undoubtedly one of the most talented prospects in recent UFC history, but his latest showing rubbed many fight fans the wrong way. His meteoric rise hit a speed bump before potential high-profile fights land on Nickal’s radar.
Sonnen, one of the most entertaining personalities in combat sports, pivoted on his Nickal fandom to criticize the former NCAA Division I national champion’s company.
Chael Sonnen goes off on Bo Nickal and his team after sluggish win at UFC 309
In a recent breakdown on his YouTube channel, Sonnen questioned Nickal’s team for adopting an unorthodox game plan at UFC 309.
“My problem with it and my gripe is that you have a four-time world champion… doesn’t do one damn bit of wrestling because somebody got a hold of him. One of his trainers or his training partners sat him down and said, ‘You’re not ready to go to the ground with the guy.’ Well how the [f***] would we know? How in the [f***] we would know that now?” Sonnen said of Nickal’s UFC 309 win.
“That is nothing that Bo has ever done,” Sonnen continued. “He didn’t show Gabe Dean that respect, he didn’t show Miles Martin that respect, he did not show David Taylor that respect and he refuses to take down, a four-time world champion refuses to use one bit of wrestling against a guy that’s never had a wrestling match. That is because of somebody in his trusted inner circle.” (h/t MMANews)
At his UFC 309 post-fight press conference, Nickal dismissed his critics, calling his win over Craig important for his development in MMA.
Dana White plans to ‘slow down’ Bo Nickal after back-to-back mediocre outings
After watching Nickal’s performance, UFC CEO Dana White acknowledged that Nickal ‘needs work’ before challenging himself against the top middleweights. He revealed recent discussions with the top prospect in which he’s implored Nickal to tame his lofty aspirations.
Nickal has won four consecutive fights in the UFC Octagon since back-to-back wins on Dana White’s Contender Series earned him a contract. Before UFC 309, he most recently defeated Cody Brundage by second-round submission at UFC 300, his first taste of harsh fight fans booing his approach.
Nickal is just a handful of fights into his UFC career, and before his promotional signing, he fought just once on the regional scene. His MMA debut lasted 33 seconds, and two months later, he was offered a shot in the UFC via DWCS.
Nickal’s UFC 309 performance shows he has a long way to go before challenging Khamzat Chimaev for his self-described dream fight. In the meantime, as he looks ahead to 2025, Nickal’s praise from Sonnen is beginning to run thin.
